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Top 5 Technologies Set to Impact Construction in 2018

Emerging technologies continue to impact construction. Which technologies will take top billing in 2018? One company makes some big predictions.

Identified Technologies recently made predictions for the top technology trends that will impact the construction industry in the months ahead.

Internet of Things (IoT) in the enterprise: While many people are using connected devices in their personal lives, businesses will soon begin to feel the impact of this technology. In fact, the company predicts that 2018 will be the year construction companies put sensors on everything from trucks to boots. Taking that a step further, construction companies will work to connect this information from the office to the jobsite.

Big Data: Understanding all the data that comes from sensors will be critical this year, as it makes analytics and decision making easier. This will help construction companies do business in a way that is more effective and efficient.

Virtual Reality: Identified Technologies predicts that this will go from a novelty to a necessity. This will also be the year that VR gets incorporated into more established platforms, rather than just existing in a silo.

Artificial intelligence (AI): This is the ability for computers to learn patterns and behaviors. It could impact the construction industry in a number of different areas including project planning, fleet management and more. This is being studied in depth at Carnegie Mellon University, as it is looking to make AI as easy to use as an iPhone.

Robotics: Robots are becoming smarter and less expensive. Also, as the technology improves, robotic thinking will become more advanced. For construction specifically, LIDAR will have a big impact on safety using remote sensing and collision avoidance.

These are the biggest emerging technologies and areas to keep an eye on that will impact the construction industry in the year ahead.